With the devolution government on its second term, a lot of governors have had problems in maintaining a good rapport with their deputies.
Former Nairobi county deputy governor Polycarp Igathe resigned a few months after being elected in office due to what he referred to as his inability to gain the governor's trust. The county is yet to get a deputy.
Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu and his deputy James Nyoro were also seen to fall out almost immediately after elections, the deputy coming out to the media to say how it was 'hell and torture' to work under the county boss.
The relationship between Kisumu governor Prof Anyang Nyong’o and his deputy Dr Mathew Ochieng Owili, however, is one of a kind.
In most occasions, the governor and his deputy have been seen to get along, with the county chief sending his deputy in most county meetings and forums to represent him.
It has got to a level where some residents have started terming the governor an 'absentee' because he has been delegating most of the duties to his deputy who has taken them up always.
For instance, on Wednesday afternoon, governor Nyong’o send Dr Owili to represent him in the official opening of stakeholders meeting on Sexual and Reproductive health at Acacia Premier Hotel in Kisumu as the governor travelled out of the country to attend his daughter's Oscar Awards awarding ceremony.
In fact, sometimes last year Nyong’o was admitted in a US hospital for a long time and his deputy had to step in the gap excellently with no issues coming up.
He was performing the governors’ duties well and they could communicate via Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and other online platforms to ensure there was no power vacuum.
The governor has also himself openly declared his satisfaction with the performance of his deputy.
The duo has also been attending a number of functions together and openly declaring their good working relationships.
Together, they oversaw a number of development projects being initiated in the county. An example of this was the Ahero Irrigation Scheme Project.
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